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The move by members of the Kano State House of Assembly to impeach the speaker, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata on Tuesday failed as 24 aggrieved lawmakers could not meet the required 27 signatories to form the 2/3 majority needed for the impeachment.
They however announced that they have removed two principal officers, the chief whip, Hon. Labaran Abdul Madari (Warawa constituency) and deputy majority leader, Hon. Muhammad Bello Butu-Butu (Rimin Gado/Tofa constitutency).
The lawmakers, led by former speaker, Alhassan Rurum, were prevented from entering the Assembly complex by security operatives who had taken over the area since Monday.
They accuse the current speaker of incompetence, financial embezzlement and localizing the proceedings of the Assembly as well as not carrying other members along.
Speaking to journalists outside the Assembly, Rurum said “we are still gathering momentum in ensuring that we get the required members as such ‘no retreat no surrender’.
“We have removed the two principal officers, that is the chief whip and the deputy majority leader. We have gotten the required number of signatories, 24, to that effect as such we have simple majority.
“We have therefore replaced them with the following members of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Iliyasu Yaryasa (Tudun Wada Constituency) as chief whip, while Hon. Ayuba Labaran Durum (Kabo constituency) as new deputy majority whip.
“We also reaffirmed the appointment of Hon. Abdulaziz Garba Gafasa (Ajingi constituency) to continue as the majority leader and made Hon Kabiru Dashi to be deputy majority leader.”
According to the Rurum, “as law abiding citizens and the representatives of the people of Kano State, we have gathered here to do what we deemed necessary to remove the speaker of the House. You would recall that there was allegations leveled against me when I was a speaker which led to my honorable resignation to enable the House carryout it’s investigations.
“That led to the emergence of Atta as the new speaker. And recently there have been calls for the impeachment of Atta as the speaker. These we have gathered here today, but as you can see the assembly complex is been barricaded by the Police and men of the civil defense Corps.
“To impeach the speaker, we need 27 out of the 40 members of the House of the assembly to do that, so far so good, we have 24 members whom have endorsed for the impeachment of the speaker. That is below the number needed but with that number we can impeach other Principal officers and we hereby announce the impeachment of the Honorable Labaran Abdul representing Warawa constituency as the chief whip of the assembly, as well as honorable Muhammad Bello Butu-butu, deputy majority leader and honorable Iliyasu.
“And we have unanimously agreed that Honorable Abudullahi Iliyasu Riyasa of Tudun Wada assume the seat of the chief whip while Ayuba Labaran from Kabo is to act as the new Deputy Majority Whip, Right Honorable Abdulaziz Garba former speaker to continue as the majority leader while honorable Kabiru Dashi Kiru is now the Deputy majority leader.
“Although we are not in the assembly complex, but we are within its premises. As law abiding citizens we won’t engage the security men. The speaker Abdullahi Atta came into the assembly last night and took away the Mace. But that wouldn’t stop us from carrying out our statutory duties as you can see we have provided another Mace”.